Ironer



July 1, 1941. IG. w. Dumm 2.2471803 l InoNEn l Filed De'c. 2.2, 1938 y 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 V' lll b )if J 9 WHS Atbcvneg.

Jul? l, 1941.- f v G. w. DUNHAM 2.247.803

IRONER Filed Dec. 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 1, 1 941 l 2,247,803vv UNITED STATES "PATENT ori-lcs y .2,241,803

New York Application December 22,1938, serial No. 241,256.

. 9C1aims.

This application is a continuation 'in part of my application Serial No. 126,373, led February.

The present invention relates to ironing ma chines of the type in which ironingis effected between a heated shoe and a padded roll.

The objectof myinven'tion is to provide an' improved construction and arrangement in ironing machines of Athis type, and for a consideration of what I believe to be. novel and my invention attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a per.- spective View of an ironer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a. top plan view partly broken away to show the driving mechanism and the construction for supporting the roll and shoe; Fig. 3 is a sectional 'View of the knee operated -control taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional front elevation of the ironer; Fig. 5 is l an end elevation in section along line ii---iiv of Fig. 4, the parts being in the position in which the shoe is pressed against the ro1l;-Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the driving mechanism; Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the ironer; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a'sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 8; Fig, 10 is a perspective view of the control member for the roll driving mechanism; and Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view ofthe other end of the linkage connected to the knee operated member. v

Referring to the drawings, the ironer comprises a shoe I and a roll 2 which are carried by i 35 is provided with a handle 4l projecting through a housing 3 containing mechanism for rotating the roll and for moving the shoe toward and away from the roll. The housing is secured to the top i of a suitable tableby bolts 5 extending from lugs 6 on the housing through a re-enforcing plate 1 on the under side of the table (see Fig. 5). The housing is lseated on a hollow rectangular spacing member 8 and is heid thereon by the bolts'5. y

The shoe (Fig. 8) comprises an arcuate metal Journaled on the outer end of 'the tube. One of the side walls i3 of the shoe supporting arm is journaled on the tube ii and the other is journaled on a flange 22 on the hub of the arm 2|. The shoe supporting armis held on the tube by a washer 23 held on the splined end of the shaft I3 by a snap ring 2|. A ooil'spring 25 arranged between the washer 23 and the arm 2| holds the arm against the end of the tube |54.

10 The arm 2| has forked ends 26 between which v a shaft 21 is pivoted. Slidably extending through the shaft 21 is a rod 28 threaded into a nut 29.

`Around the rod 2l is a coil spring 33 arranged between a seat 3| on the nut 23 and a seat 32 on a washer 33 slidable on the rod and pressed by the spring against the shaft 21. The end of the rod '28 projecting beyond the nut 29 is provided with a -reduced portion 3| rotatable in a pin 35 i'lxed between the forked ends 36 of a lever 31 l pivoted on the pin i2. The forked ends 'of the 25 a stop 38 on the shoe supporting arm.l Upon oscillation of the shaft il the shoe is moved toward and away from the roll. The pressure betweenthe shoe and roll is limited by the coil spring 30. 'I'he pressure may be adjusted by threading the rod l23 into and out of the nut 22,

thus 'varying thepressure of the spring. Thel minimum pressure is limited by a sleeve 3S arranged between the nut 23 and the-pin 35. For convenience in adjusting the pressure, the rod 23 the lower end of the shoe supporting arm to a conveniently accessible position.

N Under some circumstances it is desirable to rey lease the'pressure between the roll and shoe in- 40 dependent of the rock shaft ls. 'rms is erected y 3-1 by a pin 42 xed in the-1ever 31 and extending plate 9 which is heated by suitable electric heat- 45 through a sloty 43 in the lever .Il and by a tongue ing elements (not shown) arranged between the rear surface of the plate and a cover I0. Fixed to the shoe is a bracket having ears which are pivoted on a pin I2 extending across the spaced side walls I3 of a shoe supporting arm il sup,

ported on a tube i5 xed in a boss I6 (Fig. 9) in the side wall |1 of the ironer housing. Extending through the tube |.5 is'a rock shaft ihaving one end journaled in a bearing i9 and having the other end 20 splined in the hub of an arm 2| M on the lever 31 fitting in a notch Il in the hand lever. By lifting the hand lever to a position in which the tongue 4I is clear of the notch de, it may be swung downward about the pin l2 to a space-saving position useful during shipping.

When the lever 31 is pivoted in' a clockwise m a clockwise direction. about the'shaa is and thereby to move the shoe away from the roll. If the shoe is away from the roll this additional separation permits the movement of the shoe to .a position permitting cleaning and waxing. In

this position the expansion of the spring 88 is limited by the engagement of a shoulder 48 on the rod 28 with the under side of the shaft 21'. Upon clockwise movement of the lever 81 the parts maybe returned to the position shown in Fig. 8. Thel above described mechanism is the invention of Charles A. Lindemann and is being claimed in his application Serial No. 184,405, led January l1, 1938, to which reference may be had for a more extensive description.

'I'he roll (Fig. 2) comprises a sheet metal cylinder 41 having disks 48 and 48 at each end secured thereto respectively by means of flanges the gears 88 and 88, and the internal` gear 84. The pinion 18 Aand the arm 82 are common to both gear trains providing a compact two-speed driving arrangement. When the internal gear 84 is held stationary a lower speed driving connection is established. When the internal gear 84 is free the friction in the roller bearings is suiilcient to prevent rotationof the roll through this planetary gear train.

For holdingveither internal gear stationary, l

have provided a -control lever or detent 88 (see 58 and 5| secured'fto the inner surface of the v cylinder. 0n the outer surface of the cylinder vis a pad 52 which is held thereon by means o f a pad cover 58. The pad cover is held in place by means of snap rings 54 which nt in grooves 55 in the flanges 58-and 5|. The disk 48 is secured to the flange 58 of a sleeve 51 carrying a sleeve bearing 58 which vrotatably supports the roll on a tube 58 flxedin a boss 88 in the ironer housing wall I1. The disk 48 is fixed to asleeve 5| which is keyed to a shaft 82 journaled in bearings 88 and 88a in the tube 58. The roll is rotated by the shaft 82 through the driving connection formed by the sleeve 8| and the disk 48.

The ironer is operated by an .electric motor 84 which is resliiently supported from the re-enforcing plate 1 by means of arms 85 secured'to rubber bushings 86. The compression of the rubber bushings, and therefore the resilience of the y mounting, 'is varied by means of nuts 81 which are threaded on spindles 88 secured to the plate 1. The motor shaft 88 is slotted to receive a bar 18 which fits in the slotted end of a shaft 1| and serves as a coupling between the shafts. Y 'I'he shaft 1| is journaled in a. boss 12 which is integral `with the bottom wall 18 of the ironer housing.

The shaft 1| has cut'therein a worm 14 which meshes with a worm wheel 15 rotatably carried on the driving shaft 82. 'Ihe thrust of the worm shaft 1| is taken by a ball 14a which bears against the end of plug 14h threaded in the top wall of vthe ironer housing. After adjustment, the plug 14h is prevented from turning by means of a set screw 14e.

Integral with the worm wheel 15 is a hub having a pinion 18 cut therein and having a bearing surfacev 11 on which is rotatably carried the hub 18 of internal gear 18. The internal gear 18 meshes with gears 88 which are rotatably carried on stub shafts 8| integral with an armr tionary. When theinternal gear18is held asta-4 tionary, the planetary gearing provides 'a speed reducing driving connection to the roll shaft.

A second and lower speed planetary gear train 'is' provided by gears 88 integral with the gears 88 which mesh with an internal gear 84 rotatable on the roll shaft 82 and held thereon by a snap ring 85. This geaxtrain comprises the pinion 18,

Figs. 2 land l0) which is' splined on a shaft 81 rotatably carried in the ears 88 of a bracket 88 fixed to the inner wall of the ironer housing. The detent 88 has a hooked end 88 adapted to cooperate with either the notches 8| defined by teeth 82 on the gear 18 or with the notches 88 defined by teeth 84 on the gear 88 to hold one of the other gears stationary and thereby establish a driving connection to the' roll. The gears 18 and 84 are provided with adjacent flanges 85 and 85 on which the end 88 of the detent member rests when the detent member is in the position intermediate the gears. While resting on vthe flanges 85 and 88, the detent member is obvlously ineffective. The position of the detent member 88 is adjusted by an adjusting member 81 on -a shaft 88 journaled in the front wall of the ironer housing. The inner end oi' the shaft 88 is provided with a gear 88 which meshes with a rack |88 on the detent member. The rack and pinion are so related that when the adjusting member 81 is in ahorizontal position, the detent member is either positioned above the notches 8| or above the notches 88. Wheny the adjusting member 81 is in a vertical position, the detent member is positioned above the flanges 85 and position the detent member for cooperation with the driving gearing. The movement of the detent member into the notches 8|l or 88 is controlled in a manner hereinafter described so as to, establish' the driving connection when the shoe is pressed against 'the roll and to break the driving connection when the shoe is separated from the roll. Theiianges 85 and 88 are inclined, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, so the detent can be easily moved from one of the notches 8| and 88 up on to the edges of the flanges.

The shoe is moved toward and away from the roll by -a cam |82 integral with a gear |88 rotatably carried on a stub-shaft |84 fixed in the housing wall l1. The cam cooperates with a roller |88 rotatably carried in the end of an arm |88 keyed to the inner end of the shoe rock shaft |8. The roller isheld in contact with the cam by a coil spring |81 arranged between a seat |88 on the housing bottom wall 18 and a' socket |88 in the arm. The cam is provided with depressions ||8 and in which the roller |85 l.rests at its extreme positions- When the roller rests in the depression '||8, the shoe is pressed against the roll. When the roller rests in the depression the' shoe is moved away from the roll. 'I'he depressions center the roher with respect to the cam so that the shoe pressure arm |88 voccupies the same angular position at each extreme position. The centering force which is derived from the pressure of the coilvspring |81 when the shoe is away from the roll and in addition from `the shoe pressure when the shoe is pressed against the roll, is sufficient to cause the necessary turning of the gear |88 so as to Connection to the gear ||2.

i depressions I I and the clutch key.

`bring the roller into a central position in either of the depressions ||0 or With thisconstruction, the pressure applied to the shoe places a minimum amount of strain on the casing due to the closeness of the cam to the casing side wall l1. This is an important factor since the pressure applied by the cam is in the present construction three or four times as great as the pressure between the roll and the shoe.

The gear |03 meshes with a gear ||2 journaled on the inner end of the roll supporting tube 58 (Fig. 4). Integral with the gear ||2 is a circular' flange ||3 (Figs. 4 and 5) having a'radial slot ||6 in which is slidably carried a clutc` key ||5.

-The key is urged outward by means or a spring ||6, the outward movement of the key being limited by engagement of a tongue ||1 on the key With a shoulder I I8. When the parts are in the position shown in the drawings, the key is held in its inner position byengagement with the end I|9 of a C-shaped trip lever |2|. The trip lever is loosely mounted on pins |22 fixed in bosses |23 and is resiliently` held against the faces 'of the bosses by means of coil springs |26 (see Fig. l1l) The ends I9 and |20 of the trip lever are moved outxof the path of the key ||5 by means of an arm |25 fixed to a shaft |26 journaled in a boss |21 in the housing bottom wall 13. A coil spring |30 (Figs. 4 and 5) keeps the lever |25 tightly seated againstI the upper end of the boss |21 to prevent leakage of grease around the shaft. When the shaftv|26 is moved in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1l, the ends ||8 and |20 of the trip lever |2| are moved toward the roll (to the left in; Fig. 4) to a position Vout of contact with -thekey ||5. The key ||5 is then moved outward by the spring H6 into engagement with one of a plurality vof notches |28 (Figs. 2 and 4) in a flange |29 integral with the continuously driven worm wheel15, thereby completing a driving connection between the worm wheel'andy the gear ||2. Once the driving' connection is completed, the trip lever |2| is allowed to be returned to its normal position by the springs |26.

, The rotation of the gear'||2 continues through 180 until the key ||5 comes in contact with the other end |20 of the trip lever |2|. This end moves the key inward and breaks the Vdriving In order to insure a greater separation between the key and the notches |28, the parts are arranged so that-the roll |05 is just entering one of the depressions ||0 or at the time the key is moved out ofthe notches |28 by engagement with one of the inclined surfaces |3| Aor |82on the ends I|9 and |20 of the trip lever. As soon as the key leaves the notches |28, rotation of the gear ||2 stops, and if the key remained in this position a clicking noise would be obtained due to engagement ofthe key with the notches.

Due to the centering action of the roller |85 in the depressions ||0 and the gearV |68, and consequently the gear ||2, is rotated a slight additional amount sufficient to cause the key to move under the flat surfaces |33 and |36 on the ends ||9 and |20 of-the trip lever. In these positions the key is positively moved inward to a position separated fromthe notches |28. The from one aspect insure a predetermined overtravel of the gear ||2 which is suilicient to cause positive'disengagement of The trip lever |2| l end of each-180 movement of the gear ||2, the

is so arranged that at thev Fig. 5 in which the shoe is pressed against the?y roll or a position 180 therefrom in which `theshoeis moved away from the roll. The gear |88\ is held in these positions by the centering action a of the roll |05 in the. depresslonsl I0 or When the ironer is used for continuous ironing, it is desirable that the rotation of the roll be started and stOPped in accordance with the position of the shoe. .That is. the roll should be stationary when the shoe is away fromthe roll and the roll .should rotate when the shoe is pressed against the roll. This is effected by means of a cam |35 (see Figs. 2, 4, and 5), integral with the gear ||2, which engages an arm |36 keyed on the shaft 81. The arm |36 is held against the cam |35 by means of a coil spring |31 arranged around the shaft 81 .and having opposite ends bearing on the arm |36 and the bracket 89. y that the hooked end 90 of the detent 86 is moved into engagementr with one ofthe notches 9| or 93 when thevshoe is pressed against the roll and is moved out of engagement withthe notches when the shoe is moved away from the roll. 'I'he rotation of the roll, which is started upon engagement of the hooked end 90 with one of the notches 9| or 93, starts somewhat before the development of the full pressure between the roll and the shoe. This reduces the starting load on the roll driving mechanism.

When the ironer is usedv for pressing, it is desirable that the roll remain stationary when the shoe is pressed against the roll. This .is effected b y positioning the detent 86 above the edges of the anges 95 and 96 by turning Athe adjusting lever 91 to a vertical position. The anges hold the detent out ofthe notches 8| and 88 and thereby prevent the establishment of a driving connection to the roll.

The ironeris controlled by means of a knee pad |38 fixed to an arm |39 pivoted on a spindle |60 ilxed to the underside of the table top (Fig. 3) The lever |38 has a pin 4|6| on the top thereof for receiving one of a series of notches |62 in a link |63. Thefnotches are held in engagement with the pin by a tension spring .|66 arranged 2) causes the shaft' |26 to be turned in-a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 1l), thereby moving the ends ||9 and |20 of the trip leverl |2| clear of the key ||5 so that the spring |6 can move the key into one of the slotsy |28 to complete a driving connection .from the worm wheel 15 to the gear ||2. vThe position of the knee' pad ns may be adjustedby changing the notch 162 in which the pin I6 rests. As soon as the driving connection is completed, which vrequires only a very short interval due to the large number of slots |28 and the relatively high speed of rotation of the worm wheel 15, the knee pad |88 is released and the shaft v|26 is returned to its normal positionby Vmeans of the springs |26 acting on the trip lever 86 andthe spring |66 acting on the link |68. -When the Bear ||2 vis rotated through the key is moved out' of the slot |28 by engagement with one' of the ends The shape of the cam |35 is such I I9 or |20 of the trip lever I2I, as described above.

The movement of the shoe toward and away from the roll may also be controlled bymeans of the lever |41 (Fig. 5) fixed 'to the shaft |28 and projecting through a'slot |48 in the' front wall of the spacer 8 on which the ironer housing' rests. The lever |41 provides an alternative arrangement for turning the shaft |26.

In the use of the ironer, the material to be ironed is flrstarranged on the roll, the roll being stationary and the shoe away from the roll. The knee pad |38 is then moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, thereby turning the shaft S26 ln a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l1. The arm |25 which is fixed to the shaft |20 engages the trip lever I2! and pivots it about the studs |22 until the end |20 thereof is clear of the key |I5. The key is then moved outward by the spring ||6 into one of the slots |28 in the worm wheel 15, completing a driving connection from the worm wheel to the gear H2. As soon as this driving connection is completed, the knee pad is released and is returned to its normal position by spring |44 acting on the link. 'I'he driving connection to the gear ||2 remains completed until the gear'has turned through 180, at which time the key I| is moved out of the slot |28 by engagement with the inclined surface |3| on the end I I9 of the tripvlever. After being moved out of the slot |28,`the key is moved further inward by the overtravel caused by the centering action of the roller |05 in the depression IIl which causes the gear |I2 to turn to a position bringing the key ||5 under the fiat surface |33 in which position the key is positively separated from the slots |28. This prevents any clicking of the key against the edges of the slots |20.

The 180 rotation of the gear ||2 moves the gear |03 tothe position shown in Fig. 5in which the shoe is pressed against the roll.

When the gear ||2 is in the position shown'in Fig. 5, the cam surface |35 which is integral with the gear permits the control lever |38 to a lposition in which the hooked end 90 of the arm Si is moved into one of the depressions 9| vor 93 on the internal gears 19 or 84. holds the internal gear stationary so that a driving connection is completed to the roll driving shaft 02 from the worm wheel 15 through the one or the other of the planetary gear trains whichcomprise respectively the pinion 16, the carrier 82, and either the internal gear 19 or the internal gear B3. The shape of the cam 91 is such that the driving connection to the rollis completed before full ironing pressure is built up between the roll and the shoe. When the roll is rotating, the ironer is adapted for ironing flat work which is fed under the shoe by the rotation of the roll.

The speed of the roll is selected by theadJusting member 91 which positions the arm relatively above the depressions 9|, above the flanges l5 and 86, or above the depressions 33. When above to positively separate the key |I5 from the notches |20.- l

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an ironer, a housing, aroll supported thereby, a shoe, a driven shaft journaled in a wall in said housing having a connection for driving the roll, a gear, means including a stub shaft rotatably supporting the gear on said wall, a cam on said gear, mechanism for effecting engagement and separation of the roll and the shoe. a cam follower for actuating said mechanism, a second gear meshing with saidviirs-t gear, a driving gear, said driving and second gears being concentric with and spaced along said driven shaft,` and a connectionl between said driving and second gears for rotating said second gear.

2. In an ironer, a roll, a roll driving shaft, a shoe, a rock shaft for moving the shoe toward and away from the roll, a housing at one end of the roll having a wall adjacent the roll provided with supponting means for the roll and said shafts, a stub shaft on said wa1l,.a gear supported thereon. camV means on the gear, a connection between said cam means and the rock shaft for effecting oscillation thereof upon rotation of the gear, roll driving mechanism carried by said roll supporting means and in cluding a second gear meshing with said first gear, and means for selectively 'making and breaking a driving connection to said second gear whereby the rock shaft is oscillated.

3. In an ironer, a roll, a roll driving shaft, a shoe. a rock shaft for moving the shoe'toward and away from the roll, a housing at one end .of the roll having a wall adjacent the roll provided withsupporting means for the roll and said shafts, a stub shaft on said wall, a gear supported thereon, cam means on the gear, a connection between said cam means and the rock shaft for eecting oscillation thereof upon rotation of the gear, roll driving mechanism on said roll driving shaft and including a second gear meshing with ysaid :drst gear, and means for selectively making and breaking a driving connection to said second gear whereby the rock shaft is oillated.

4. In an ironer, cooperating pressing members including a roll, means'for driving the roll at different ,speedsY including at least two gear trains, a control member adapted to cooperate with one or the other of the gear trains to stop and start the roll, manually operable means se lectively positioning fthe control member for cooperation with one or the other of the gear trains, means for effecting engagement and separation of the pressing members, and means rethe depressions 9|, the roll is drivenV at its high above, bringing thev roller |05 into thefdepres..

sion The depression 'causesi an overtravel similar tothat causedl by depression |Il,

sufdcieni;` to bring the clutch key under the fiat surface |34 on the en d |20 of the trip lever and adapted when held stationary to establish a driving connection to said shaft through its respective gear train, a control member posiltionable to cooperate with one or the other of said partsan'd movable into and out of a position holding it stationary, an adjusting memfber for positioning said control member to cooperate with one or the other of said parts, and means responsive to the relative position of said pressing members for eiecting movement of said control member into and out of said position.

6. In an ironer, cooperating pressing members including a roll, means for eiecting engagement and separation of said members, a. roll driving` shaft, roll driving gearing comprising a driving pinion, a carrier fixed to the roll driving shaft carrying a gear meshing with said pinion and a second gear rotatable with said fir'st gear, in.- te'rnal gearsv meshing respectively with said first and second gears, and detent means movable into and out of a position holding one or the other of said internal gears stationary for es' tablishing a driving connection to the roll.`

7. `In an ironer, cooperating pressing members including a roll, means for effecting engagement and separation of said members, a roll driving shaft, roll driving gearing comprising a driving pinion, Ia carrier fixed to the roll driving shaft carrying a' gear meshing with said pinion, and

a second gear rotatable with said rst gear, in#

ternal gears meshing respectively with said rst and second gears, detent means positionable to gears and movable into and out of a position holding it stationary to establish a drivingconnection to the roll, an adjusting Amember for positioning said detent means to cooperate with and separation of said members, roll driving gearing comprising two epicyclical gear trains having adjacent rotatable members adapted v including a roll, means for eiecting engagement and separation of said members, a roll driving shaft, roll driving gearing comprising two epicyclic gear trains having adjacent rotatable members adapted when held stationary to establish a driving connection to the roll driving shaft through its respective gear train, a detent member ,p'r'isitionzaible over one or the' other of its .-rotatable members and in a positionintermediate said members.' said detent member while cooperate with one or the other of said internal v one or vthe other of said internal gears, and, means responsive to the relative position of said pressing members for effecting movement of said detent means into and out of said position.

. 8. In anironer, cooperating pressing members including a roll, means for effecting engagement positioned over one or the other of said rotatable members being movable into and out of a -position holding it stationary, means `for preventing "operation of said detent member while in the intermediate position. an adjusting member for positioning the detent member, and,

means responsive to\ the relative position of the pressing members for eiiecting movement of said detent members into and out of said position.

' GEORGEl W. DUNHAM. 

